Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, has announced in a televised statement that she will not run for reelection and plans to step down by the beginning of February.
She said on Thursday, fighting back tears, that the general election would take place on October 14 and that February 7 would be her last day as prime minister.
I’m not going anywhere because it was hard. I probably would have left the job after two months if that had been the case. She stated, “I am leaving because of the responsibility that comes with such a privileged position, the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and when you are not.”
“I am aware of the time and effort required for this job and that I am no longer able to complete it satisfactorily. “It’s that easy,” she stated.
This year’s election campaign was difficult for Ardern.
Two years ago, her party won reelection in a historic landslide, but recent polls have put her party behind its conservative rivals.
Ardern stated that she maintained her belief that Labour would win the election.
